-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of people in Louisiana have been evacuated as widespread flooding threatens lives and homes .

Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency Thursday afternoon after thunderstorms drenched the state with as much as a foot of rain this week .

Eunice , a town in southwest Louisiana , has had 12.25 inches of rain since Tuesday , a hydrologist with the National Weather Service said .

Jonathan Brazzell said seven parishes -- Acadia , Avoyelles , Concordia , East Carroll , Evangeline , Livingston and St. Landry -- have had widespread flooding since the storms began .

There were no initial reports of injuries .

`` The Mermentau River is well above flood stage and expected to go to major flood stage , '' he said .

St. Landry Parish spokeswoman Megan Vizena said 30 % of the area was underwater .

Authorities in Franklin , near the Gulf of Mexico , evacuated 118 people after 7 inches of rain washed over some roads and bridges , the weather service said on its website .

In Acadia Parish , rescuers saved close to 80 people from rising water , including 20 at an oil well .

`` We will have more evacuations tonight , '' Maxine Trahan , a spokeswoman with the Acadia Parish Sheriff 's Office said . `` There were so many roads that were closed there were not enough signs -LRB- to warn residents -RRB- .

An iReporter near St. Francisville , north of Baton Rouge , shot video of the rushing water of a creek under a bridge .

`` I 've personally never seen Bayou Sara this high , in this spot , in this short of a time span due to rain , '' said Bonnie Marquette , who is a film location scout .

The National Weather Service said at least two EF-1 tornadoes struck Thursday , one of which damaged 50 homes in St. Martin Parish . A third tornado , in Iberville Parish , was confirmed as well .

More rain was forecast for the weekend , the service said .

Watch encores of CNN 's `` The Coming Storms '' at 8 and 11 p.m. ET Saturday

CNN 's Sean Morris and Joe Sutton contributed to this report .

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NEW : Three tornadoes touch down on Thursday ; no injuries reported

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Governor issues state of emergency for all of Louisiana

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Town of Eunice has had more than 12 inches of rain in three days

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Authorities have rescued dozens , and many others have evacuated